Cash-indicator.



lllo.`79',25o. Patented july 23, Ism. K., ALLesoN.

vGAS-H INDICATOR.

(Application led Oct, 25, 1900.)

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nrvronnfx No. 679,250. "Patented July 23, 190|.' D. K. ALLISON.

GASH INDIGATOB. (Appumipn med dez. nu, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL K. ALLISON, OF TROY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO DANIEL K. ALLISON, OF SAME PLACE, AND FRANK A. FOSTER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

'CASH-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,2 50, dated July 23, 1901. Application filed October 25, 1900. Serial No. 34,239. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL K. ALLISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of yMiami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Indicators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cash-indicating machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which has a capacity for indicating the amount of each sale or transaction and in addition thereto a capacity for indicating a prize, cash rebate,'or premium at predetermined times. k

The principal feature of the invention consists of a special indicator and the mechanism through which said special indicator is actuated from the operating-keys during the regular operations of the machine.

In a detail description of the invention, Figure l is a partial sectional side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the indicators, the keys, and the transverse indicator releasing and retaining bar, all other parts being removed. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with part of the mechanism removed. This view shows the position of the keys and their alinement with their respective indicators in the rear, also the position of the special indicator. The bar D is removed from this view. Fig. 4 is a detail of a portion of the bar t'.

In adetaildescription of myinvention similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

The frame of the machine is composed of sides A Aand the front plate B, having a series of vertical slots B. Transverse bars C, D, D', and F serve in addition to their special functions to connect the two sides A A and to givethe frame the necessary strength. Between the two sidesA Athere are located in parallel relation shafts X, Y, and c. Ful- -tical movement.

crumed on the shaftY and projecting through the slots B are a series of operating-keys a, which extend approximately the entire length of the machine and project through slots F' in a transverse plate F, the said slots being similar to those in the front plate B and being wide enough to ad mit the operating-keys to play loosely therein. These slots serve to guide the rear ends of the operating-keys, and the number of such slots correspond to the number of the operating-keys. The transverse bars D and D have a series of rectangular slots or openings, (not shown,) through which the indicator-bars E2 play up and down freely, and are thus guided in a true and ver- The upper ends of these bars support the indicator-tablets E3, upon which are indicated the figures representing various amounts, the exposure of each tablet taking place when such tablet is elevated in a manner that is well known. The indicator-bars E2 normally rest upon or a little above the rear ends of the operating-keys a and in line therewith, so that when the operating-keys are pressed down upon their front ends a by finger-pressure the operating-keys will be raised at their rearward ends, and thus the indicators E3 will be raised to positions where they can be seen, one indicator being exposed at a time in the usual manner. Suitable mechanism hereinafter described is provided to hold the indicator-tablets EB in their elevated position until the next sale is indicated, at which time the indicator -tablet showing the former sale is allowed to fall to its normal or lower position.

Mounted on shaft X are a series of ratchetwheels b, of which there is one for each of the operating-keys and each of which has a series of ratchet-teeth h. Adjacent to each ratchet-wheel there is a wheel b2, having a single ratchet tooth l projecting beyond its periphery. These two wheels b and h2 are inseparably connected. Therefore when the ratchet-wheel b turns on its axis its respective wheel b2 also turns the same distance. To each operating-key a a pawl ci:J is pivotally connected at a4, which pawl engages with the teeth h on the ratchet-Wheel b. The pawl a2 is held against the ratchet-wheel b by means of a spring a3, one end of which is fastenedl to the pawl a2 and the other end to the operating-key.

Mounted on the shaft c are a series of retaining-pawls c, which engage with the teeth b of the several ratchet-wheels b. These pawls are held in engagement with their respective wheels by springs c2, one end of each of said springs being connected to a respective pawl and the other end to the transverse bar C. The said pawls serve to prevent the ratchet-wheels from taking backward motion. It will be understood that there is an individual pawl of the above type for each of said ratchet-wheels. Located in the rear of the ratchet-wheels b there is a transverse bar f, pivotally connected with the sides of the machine at or in any suitable manner. This barf extends across the machine and has an edge forming an acute angle atf, the under face of which angle coincides with one face of the angle of the tooth Z on the wheel b2 when adjacent thereto. The barfwhen in a normal position has its angle edge f6 very close to the peripheries of the wheels b2, and also at one side near its axis it has a lugfz, which in normal position rests against a lug f5 on a side A. The said barf is held in normal position by means of a springfl, one end of which is connected to the lugf2 and the other end to a lugf3 on a side A. The lug f5 prevents the barffrom striking against the peripheries of the wheels b2. One end of the barf has a rearwardly-extendingarm f', of which Yfurther mention will be made.

d designates a U-shaped frame, which is pivoted at both ends on the shaft Y and has its transverse portion or connectingbar cl3 resting on all the operating keys, so that when any one of said operating-keys is actuated the frame d will move upwardly the saine distance that the operating -key is moved and will fall back to its normal posi- V tion as soon as the operating-key falls. This frame cl is provided with an upwardly-extended bar d on one side thereof. Connected to this bar d is an arm K, pivoted thereto at K4. The arm K is held in its normal position by means of a spring K3, one end of which is fastened to the arm K and the other end to the bar d'.

At one side of the machine and arranged in line with the indicators hereinbefore described is a special indicator E, on which is exhibited the word Prive77 Rebate, or Premium, or some other word or Words of similar import. This indicator is not arranged to be operated with any one key exclusively, but is so arranged that when any one of the operating-keys has been operated as often as there are teeth on its respective ratchet-wheel Z) -this special indicator E will be thrown up by the intervening mechanism and will indicate that some prize, premium, or rebate will be given to the purchaser of that sale. At the same time the amount of the sale will be shown bythe regular indicator-tablet Extending between the sides A A is a horizontal bar h, pivoted thereto atj. This bar h has at one end an arm 7L extending downwardly, through which there is a pin h2, having a head on one end, around which a coilspring h3 is fastened. The other end of said spring is fastened to a side A by means of a pin or screw, as shown in Eig. '1. The spring 7b3 serves to keep the upper edge of the bar h in close proximity to the indicator-bars E and E2. Extending outwardly from the bar 7L at one end is a projection h4, which when the bar h is in normal position rests upon the lng 7L, extending from the side A. This lug 71,5 and the extension hL prevent the bar 7l, from resting against the indicator-bars E and E2, while at the same time allowingl the said bar 7L to approach said indicator-bars very closely without danger of resting against them. Extending downwardly from one side of the U-shaped frame CZ adjacent to its pivotal point is a bar d2, which operates when the U-shaped frame d is actuated. To this bar cl2, near its extreme end, a bar 'L' is pivoted at 3. This bar t' extends rearwardly and also in an upwardly direction. The rear end thereof has an offset at i', in the rear of which the bar is narrower, as at 172. This oilset It" in its normal position rests in Afront of the pin h2, against which the said offset is intended to operate.

Having described the various parts of the machine, I will now describe its operation.

In order to indicate the amount of the sale made, the proper key or operating-keys are pressed downwardly. At the same time this key or keys so pressed will throw up their respective indicators E3 and show the amount of the sale made. The indicator-bars are provided with projections El and stops XV hen the indicators are pressed upwardly, the proj ections E4 rise above the bar 72 and each indicator is held thereby. The stops E prevent the indicator-bars from rising too high. lVhen one indicator is elevated and another is about to be raised, the U-shaped Vframe (Z, being actuated with each operating-key, opcrates, and thus oscillates its downwardlyprojecting bar (Z2 rearwardly and carries the bar i also rearwardly. In this operation the offset t" presses against the pin h2, which sends the bar 7L away from the indicator* bars sufficiently to allow the said indicatorbars to fall by gravity. In this operation the pin h2v travels in a circle and is so placed that as the bart moves rearwardly its rearward end 2 also travels in a circle until its end strikes the lug h5. This circular motion is now arrested, and the lug r" compels the end i2 to travel in a straight line. As the pin h2 travels in a circle and as the bar/ at this point travels in a straight line, the offset /11' cannot continue to press against the pin h2, but jumps off this pin, and in the remaining movement of the bar 7l the wider part of the bar passes loosely over the pin h2 without producing any effect on the bar 7L.

While IOO IIO

the odset t" is pressing against the pin h2 the bar h is retreating from the indicatorbars, and as soon as the offset i jumps off the pin h2 the spring h3 pulls the bar h back to its normal position. When one of the operating-keys is pressed, its respective pawl a2 actuates its corresponding ratchet-wheel Z) and moves it one tooth at each separate operation. This wheel vb carries with it an adjoining Wheel b2, as hereinbefore stated. When any operating-key a has been operated as often as there are teeth in the ratchet-wheel h, its respective wheel b2 is moved one revolution, and the single tooth Z on the wheel b2 at the completion of one operation of the operating-key to each revolution of the ratchetwheel b rests adjacent to the edge f6 of the bar f in the relative position shown in Fig. l. After any wheel b2 has assumed this relative position with respect toits tooth Z and the edge f6 the next operation of its corresponding operating-key a will, by means of its respective pawl a2, push the barf rearwardly on its axis z. In the same operation the operatingkey a has elevated its corresponding indicator E3. Also in the same operation the U- shaped frame el has been elevated by the operating-key. The arm K in its normal position is so arranged that its end K2 will merely pass the projecting arm f of the barfand its other end K will merely pass the special indicator-bar E', being in alinement with both the arm f and the indicator-barE. In its normal position the end K2 of the arm K is placed some distance below the arm f and the other end K is also placed about the same distance below the lower end of the special indicator-bar E. In the process of lowering the operatingkey when the correspondin g wheel b2 has previously assumed the position shown in Fig. l the barf will be pushed rearwardly and simultaneously the U-shaped frame d will be elevated and will carry with it the arm K, and as the arm K is being elevated its forward end K2 will be arrested by the arm f of the bar f. This will prevent the forward end K2 from rising farther, and as the U-shaped frame d is still rising the arm K will oscillate on its axis K4 and its rearward end K will engage the lower end of the special indicator-bar E', and thus raise this indicator-bar .until the projection EAL is above the top edge of the bar t, when it will be held in its elevated position in a manner readily understood.

It will be observed that the indicator-bar E is somewhat shorter than the other indicator-bars E2. It will thus be seen that it requires a number of operations of any one operating-key to turn its corresponding ratchetwheel b one revolution and that the special indicator E will be elevated only upon each complete rotation of any one of the wheels b.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction herein shown and described. On the contrary, I desire to claim, broadly,

means for accomplishing the results hereinbefore described.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a cash-indicator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, and a series of individual sales-indicators actuated by said operating-keys, of a special visible indicator common to all of said operating-'keys and adapted to be actuated by any one of said operating-keys at predetermined times and simultaneously with the actuation of a respective sale-indicator.

2. In a cash-in dicator,the combination with a series of operating-keys, and a series of individual sales-indicators actuated by said operating-keys, of a special visible indicator, and mechanism actuated by any one of the operating-keys at predetermined times to elevate said special indicator.

3. In a cash-indicator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, and a series of salesindicators operated by said operating-keys, of a special indicator, an oscillating frame common to all of said operating-keys and adapted to be operated by any one of said operating-keys, and an oscillating arm supported on said frame and adapted to elevate said special indicator at predetermined times.

4. In a cash-indicator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, a series of salesindicators, and a series of ratchet-wheels actuated by said operating-keys, of a special visible indicator denoting a prize, premiuml or other rebate, and mechanism actuated by the ratchet-wheels and the operating-keys for elevating said special indicator at predetermined times.

5. In a cash-indicator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, a series of ratchetwheels and a series of individual sales-indicators actuated by said operating-keys, of a special indicator common to all o f said operating-keys, an oscillating bar adapted to be actuated by said ratchet-wheels at predetermined times, and mechanism actuated by any one of the operating keys and adapted to engage with said oscillating bar and with the special indicator to elevate the latter at predetermined times.

6. In a cash-indicator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, a series of ratchetwheels and a series of sales-indicators actuated by said operating-keys, of a special indicator, a pivotal frame common to all of said operating-keys, a pivotal arm carried on said frame and adapted to engage the special indicator at predetermined times, and an oscillating bar actuated by said ratchet-wheels and adapted to be moved into a position to effect an operative relation between the said pivotal arm and the special indicator.

7. In'a cash-indicator, the combinationwith a series of operating-keys, a series of ratchetwheels and a series of sales-indicators operated byfsaid operating-keys, of a special indicator, a pivotal frame actuated by any one of IOO IIO

IZO

the operating-keys, a pivotal arm supported on said frame, an oscillating bar adapted to be actuated upon each complete rotation oli' any one of the ratchet-wheels to engage with the pivotal arm to bring about an operative relation between said pivotal arm and the special indicator.

S. In acash-indieator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, a series of ratchet- Wheels and a series of sales-indicators actuated by said operating-keys, of a special indicator denoting a prize, premium or other tation of any one of said ratchet-wheels, a pivotal arm arranged to engage said special indicator to elevate it upon each movement of said oscillating bar, and a pivotal frame supporting said arm and actuated by any one of said operatingkeys.

10. In a cash-indicator, the combination with a series of operating-keys, a series of ratchet-wheels and a series of sales-indicators operated by said operatingdzeys, of a special indicator, an oscillating` bar arranged to be moved upon its pivot upon each complete rotation of any one of said ratchet-wheels, a pivotal arm arranged to engage said special indicator to elevate it upon each movement of said oscillating bar, and a pivotal frame supporting .said arm and actuated by any one of said operating-keys, and means `for retaining and releasing the indicators.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence oi' two witnesses.

DANIEL K. ALLISON.

Witnesses:

R. J. MGCARTY, C. 'lHnonALn 

